Interview with Hottie of the Month: Aaron Eckhart

We talk to the Men's Health cover guy about what he finds sexy

You'd think it'd be hard to miss Aaron Eckhart's face: the chiseled chin and cheekbones, the thick blond hair, the classic movie-star grin. But the truth is, he's so good at morphing into his characters that we often forget they're him. The longhaired, bearded biker boyfriend to Julia Roberts' Erin Brockovich? Eckhart. The dumpy, impotent hubby in Your Friends & Neighbors? E-c-k-h-a-r-t. And this summer, the 40-year-old transforms himself again, into lawyer Harvey Dent and villain Two-Face, in the blockbuster-bound Batman flick The Dark Knight. With 20-plus films on his résumé, the California native seems at ease in a variety of roles, from schemer (Thank You for Smoking) to sweetie (No Reservations). We asked the real Eckhart to please stand up and answer a few questions.

Tell us one thing you find sexy about women. Surprise us.
I'm always immediately interested in a woman who's self-assured. I'm not saying she should be confident the way a man is--I don't want the same energy. But I enjoy that beautifully feminine, playful cockiness. I like that game, that dance.

If you had to apologize for one thing on behalf of all men, what would it be?
Sports! So many hours lost. So many discussions about why we can't just watch the highlights…

Who was the first girl to break your heart?
There was a girl who broke my heart when I was 15. I loved her; she was everything. She left me for my brother, who's a year and a half older than me. It killed me. But it's funny how perception changes everything. My brother and I talk about it now, and he's like, "I never did that." He doesn't even know he stole my girl.

How Eckhart rolls between roles

1. Driving fast The scenic ride between his two ranches--one in California and the other in Montana--helps him blow off steam.

2. Browsing leading ladies Having costarred with Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, and most recently, Jennifer Aniston, he jokes about asking, "Who's the girl?" before accepting a part.

3. Keeping confidential To guard against leaking a new script, he always carries half of it with him and leaves the other half in his hotel room.
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